Hinging Fence Post

ABSTRACT

One or more hinging fence post assemblies comprising a section of hinging fence posts that when met with lateral pressure will release or break a support mechanism allowing the posts to go from a generally vertical position to a generally horizontal position on the ground via a hinge mechanism. The pressure at which the support mechanism releases or breaks, and the posts hinge down, is adjustable. The lower base post will stay in place in the ground, while the longer upper post will have hinged from a generally vertical position to a generally horizontal position on the ground allowing the fence materials to remain attached to the upper post. When desired, the upper post can be quickly raised into its upright position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When flood water rises in fields enclosed with fencing, the water and the debris carried into the fence by the flood often catch on the fencing materials and pull the fences out of the ground, frequently carrying them away with the water and debris. Repairs are time consuming and costly. The invention is a hinging fence post for use in areas prone to flood that will not be pulled out of the ground by flooding water and debris. Existing solutions are expensive and complicated to use with cables, springs, floats, or pulleys that can fail. As will become evident in this disclosure, the present invention provides benefits over prior art.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One or more hinging fence post assemblies that when met with lateral pressure will automatically hinge from a generally vertical position to a generally horizontal position on the ground via a hinge mechanism. The pressure at which the posts hinge down, is adjustable. The lower base post will stay in place in the ground, while the longer upper post will have hinged from a generally vertical position to a generally horizontal position on the ground allowing the fence wires to remain attached to the upper post. When desired, the upper post can be quickly raised into its upright position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 A shows a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the base post with two sets of aligned holes on the left and right side, its tapered shape with its left and right sides at a less than 90 degree angle to the back side, and its angled and pointed bottom end. FIG. 1B shows a optional lock pin, FIG. 1C shows the hinge bolt, FIG. 1D shows the hinge bolt nut, FIG. 1E shows a cross sectional view of the base post showing its angled sides which acts as the support to keep the pipe sleeve and upper post in their vertical orientation

FIG. 2A shows a frontal perspective view of the pipe sleeve with the threaded hole in its' front side for the set screw, the set screw as shown in FIG. 2B and its two holes near the bottom of the pipe sleeve into which the hinge bolt goes.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the upper post.

FIG. 4A shows a perspective view of the base post, the pipe sleeve nested inside the base post, the bolt and nut to allow the pipe sleeve to hinge, the set screw to secure the upper post to the pipe sleeve, a optional lock pin to lock the hinging post in its upright position, and an upper post. FIG. 4B shows a cross sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the hinging post. The shape of the base post where the angles of the left and right sides relative to the back side of the base post is less than 90 degrees, is used to secure the pipe sleeve in its upright position within the base post.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the hinging post after the base post has released its constraint of the top of the pipe sleeve allowing it to hinge forward toward from a vertical orientation, to a more horizontal orientation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more adjustable strength hinging fence posts that when met with pressure from flood water or other forces will allow the post to go from a generally vertical position to a generally horizontal position on the ground via a hinge mechanism. The pressure at which the post hinges is adjustable. The upper post will fall to the ground while staying attached to the base post. Once the flood water has receded, the section of hinged posts can be quickly raised into their upright position.

The invention is a modified fence post assembly for use in areas prone to flooding that will not be pulled out of the ground and damaged by flood water and debris. When flooding occurs in fenced fields, water and debris exert pressure on the fence posts and fence materials causing them to be damaged or pulled out of the ground. Often this pressure can be great enough to carry the fence away with the water and debris. Repairs are time consuming and costly. Existing solutions are expensive and complicated to use with cables, levers, floats, or pulleys that can often fail. As will become evident in this disclosure, the present invention provides benefits over existing art.

A fence post assembly as shown in FIG. 4A and 4B comprising a lower base post as shown in FIG. 1A, henceforth referred to as the base post; a pipe sleeve as shown in FIG. 2A henceforth referred to as the pipe sleeve, a set screw as shown in FIG. 2B henceforth referred to as the set screw, an upper post as shown in FIG. 3 henceforth referred to as the upper post; a hinge bolt and nut as shown in FIG. 1C and 1D henceforth referred to as the hinge bolt and nut, a optional lock pin as shown in FIG. 1B henceforth referred to as the lock pin.

The base post as shown in FIG. 1A is made of a rigid material and has a pointed and angled bottom end to facilitate its being driven into the ground, a top end, a left side, a right side, an open front side, a back side, an inside and an outside. The base post has two or more sets of aligned holes on the left and right side of the post, oriented in the same plane such that a straight bolt can be placed through each set of aligned holes coming out the left and right sides of the base post as shown in FIG. 4A. In its preferred embodiment, the base post is shaped like a 3-sided rectangular tube where the angle of the left and right sides of the base post relative to the back side of the base post are at an angle of less than 90 degrees, as shown in FIG. 1E and 4B. The base post as shown in FIG. 1A has an optional lock pin as shown in FIG. 1B for use when you may want to lock the hinging post into an upright position. FIG. 1C and FIG. 1D show the hinge bolt and nut that are used to secure the pipe sleeve and the base post together creating a hinging function as shown in FIG. 5.

The pipe sleeve as shown in FIG. 2A, is made of rigid material, with a top end, a bottom end, a left side, a right side, an inside, an outside, a set of aligned holes near its bottom end on its left and right sides, a single threaded hole near its top end on the front side, which is in 90 degree alignment to the orientation of the holes at the bottom end of the pipe sleeve. The pipe sleeve has an inner diameter of sufficient size to allow the upper post to slide inside of it and a large enough outer diameter such that the angled in sides of the base post will hold the pipe sleeve nested inside the base post in a vertical orientation as shown in FIG. 4A.

The upper post as shown in FIG. 3 is made of rigid material and has a bottom end, and a top end and is of diameter such that it fits inside the pipe sleeve.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the less than 90 degree angle of each side of the base post relative to the back side of the base post restricts the pipe sleeve from hinging toward the open front side of the base post. When pressure is applied to the upper post in the direction of the open front side of the base post, the sides of the base post will spread and yield their support of the pipe sleeve, allowing the upper post and pipe sleeve to hinge from its basically vertical position, to a basically horizontal position.

In this preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4A and 4B, the pipe sleeve and the upper post are supported in their vertical position by the angle of the left and right sides of the base post relative to the back side of the base post where the left and right sides are at an angle to the back side of less than 90 degrees. This tapered shape of the upper section of the base post holds the pipe sleeve nested on the inside of the base post and in an upright position. This tapering in shape will keep the base post and the upper post in vertical alignment yet yield under the pressure of the flood water and debris. The base post will release or yield its constraint of the pipe sleeve before the base post gets pulled out of the ground.

To assemble the hinging post as shown in FIG. 4A, place the bottom end of the pipe sleeve with the two holes in it as shown in FIG. 2A, inside the top end of the base post, making sure the set screw hole faces the open front side of the base post. Align the lower holes in the pipe sleeve with the two bottom holes closest to the pointed end of the base post as shown in FIG. 4A, place the hinge bolt through both the aligned holes in the bottom end of the base post and through the aligned holes in the pipe sleeve. Put the nut on the hinge bolt. The hinge bolt is to be made of a high strength material meant not to break under pressure from the flood water. The base post and the pipe sleeve are now connected by the hinge bolt. Next, put the upper post inside the top end of the pipe sleeve until the bottom of the upper post rests on the hinge bolt inside the pipe sleeve, then tighten the set screw in the threaded hole on the front side of the pipe sleeve to secure the upper post to the pipe sleeve as shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 5. The upper post is now attached to the pipe sleeve and in its vertical position. If desired, you may insert the lock pin into the two top holes near the upper end of the base post to lock the hinging post in its vertical position. The amount of pressure required to release the support of the base post on the pipe sleeve and allow the pipe sleeve to hinge is adjustable by reducing the angle between the sides of the base post relative to the back side of the base post. 

The claimed invention is:
 1. An improved fence post assembly comprising a base post made of rigid materials, a longer upper post made of rigid materials, a round sleeve, two hinge bolts and nuts, and a variable strength breakable or releasable support mechanism that allows the upper post to automatically hinge from an essentially vertical position to an essentially horizontal position when met with lateral pressure, while maintaining the lower post in its original position in the ground
 2. The fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said upper post and said lower base posts are formed substantially of rigid materials.
 3. The fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said lower post has a top side, a bottom side, a left side, a right side, a back side, and an inside.
 4. The fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein in its preferred embodiment said lower post is shaped like a 3 sided square tube.
 5. The fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein in another embodiment said lower post has wings protruding on the left and right sides.
 6. The fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein in another embodiment said lower post is shaped like a V.
 7. The fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said upper post has a top side, a bottom side, a left side, a right side, a back side and front side.
 8. The fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein in its preferred embodiment said upper post is T shaped.
 9. The fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein in another embodiment said upper post is Y shaped.
 10. The fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein in another embodiment said upper post is square shaped.
 11. The fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said upper post has bumps on the front side of it to help hold wires up.
 12. A fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 above wherein said lower base post has a plurality of aligned holes on the left side and right side of the post through which said support mechanism is placed.
 13. The fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support mechanism is breakable.
 14. The fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein in another embodiment said support mechanism releases the connection between said lower post and said upper post under pressure within a range of moments between 500 lb. ft. and 6000 lb. ft.
 15. The fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support mechanism is made of a weather resistant material.
 16. A fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support mechanism is placed thru aligned holes in both said lower post and said upper posts.
 17. A fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support mechanism is of varying strengths depending on the resistance desired by its user.
 18. A fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein placement of said support mechanism in the higher aligned holes, yields a stronger post than when the support mechanism is being placed in the lower aligned holes.
 19. A fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein placement of said support mechanisms in more than one set of aligned holes yields a stronger post than when the support mechanism is being placed in just one set of aligned holes.
 20. A fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support mechanism is designed to break under lateral pressure within a range of moments between 500 lb. ft. and 6000 lb. ft.
 21. A fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bottom end of said upper posts is designed to nest inside the top end of said lower post.
 22. A fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said upper post hinges relative to said lower base post from an essentially vertical position, to an essentially horizontal position.
 23. A fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein when said upper post hinges from an essentially vertical position, to an essentially horizontal position, it is capable of laying at an angle equal to or greater than 90 degrees to said lower base post.
 24. A fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said round sleeve has a set of two aligned holes that allow it to be secured to said lower post by said nut and bolt.
 25. A fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said round sleeve is secured to said lower post by said nut and bolt which go thru said aligned holes allowing it to hinge.
 26. A fence post assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein placement of said upper post is inside said round sleeve and said upper post is secured to said round sleeve by said bolt.
 27. An improved fence post assembly comprising a lower base post made of rigid materials, a longer upper post made of rigid materials, a round sleeve with one set of aligned holes for the hinge bolt, another hole for the bolt to secure the upper post inside the pipe sleeve, a hinge bolt and nut, a threaded bolt, and a variable strength breakable or releasable support mechanism that allows the upper post to automatically hinge from an essentially vertical position to an essentially horizontal position when met with lateral pressure, while maintaining the lower post in its original position in the ground.
 28. A fence post assembly as claimed in claim 27 wherein the upper section of the base post is designed to allow it to be tapered in to grasp the pipe sleeve and support it in an upright position.
 29. A fence post assembly as claimed in claim 27 wherein the pipe sleeve and upper post can be returned to their vertical position by applying pressure with the upper post and pipe sleeve to the front of the tapered section of the base post.
 30. A fence post assembly as claimed in claim 27 wherein said support mechanism is designed to release under lateral pressure within a range of moments between 500 lb. ft. and 6000 lb. ft.
 31. A fence post assembly as claimed in claim 27 wherein said support mechanism is the tapered shape of the upper aspect of the base post. 